Good evening and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of tonight's action in the Premier League. After a weekend spent with their feet up, formerly known as the FA Cup fourth round, it's back to business for the top flight this week - and that's on and off the pitch. With just three days left before the transfer window slams shut on chairmen's fingers and two sets of fixtures on the horizon, this could prove to be the most important period of the season for many clubs.

It begins tonight with six matches and, as ever, there's a storyline to each. From the local bragging rights and top four aspirations of Liverpool and Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield, to the return of one hero - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - and the introduction of another - Juan Mata - at Old Trafford, it could be a night to remember come May.

Elsewhere, the league leaders Arsenal will be looking to throw down the gauntlet to their title challengers by winning at Southampton, while Swansea and Fulham are out to end their losing streaks at one another's expense at the Liberty Stadium. There's a reunion with Newcastle for under-fire Norwich manager Chris Hughton, while Hull boss Steve Bruce visits one of his 427 former clubs, Crystal Palace. Tonight could be many things, but it won't be boring. Except for that last game at Selhurst Park; in all honesty, that could be quite dull.

Stay with us for all the up-to-the-minute news and scores, and if you want to have your say on any of tonight's games or, indeed, anything Premier League, then you can tweet @sammydymond the shortened version, while saving the lengthier abuse to emails at sam.dymond@gmail.com.

1/28/2014 6:35:22 PM

And the team news has started to filter in, and we start with the sides from Carrow Road. The Canaries make one change with on-loan Jonás Gutiérrez ineligible to feature against his parent club, while there are three switches for Newcastle with PSG-bound Yohan Cabaye one of those to make way for the Toon Army.

Not only is there a debut for Juan Mata at Old Trafford, but there's also a start for Robin van Persie. Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney is on the bench for the hosts while Craig Bellamy and Frazier Campbell start for the visitors on their return to Manchester. Here's how Manchester United and Cardiff line up this evening.

At the Liberty Stadium,Fulham make another 11 changes to the team that huffed and puffed their way around the Sheffield United 18 yard box on Sunday while Swansea bring in six players that include returns from injury for Jonjo Shelvey and Jonathan De Guzman. Nathan Dyer is also on the bench for the Swans after a long period out.

There's a first Southampton start in the Premier League for teenage forward Sam Gallagher against league leaders Arsenal this evening, while another youngster - Serge Gnabry - gets the nod for the Gunners. Here are the teams from St Mary's.

There's an eight o'clock kick-off at Selhurst Park, and the Crystal Palace and Hull City teams are in. New signings Nikica Jelavić and Shane Long start for the Tigers in attack while Dean Moxey returns to the Eagles' starting line-up tonight in place of the injured Jonathan Parr.

Juan Mata starts for Manchester United tonight, and immediately gives the crowd an indication of how many months he's planning on sticking around for before heading back to Spain.

1/28/2014 7:29:42 PM

Liverpool and Everton served up a thriller at Goodison back in November and, although a long list of injured players has threatened to curtail the quality on offer tonight, Steven Gerrard has told The Independent's Ian Herbert that this Merseyside derby is the most important for many years...

Both clubs lie within view of the promised land of the Champions League and with Manchester United also on the fringes, learning how it feels to bang on the door and struggle to be heard, Gerrard does not disguise that he feels energised in a way that he has not been for several years. He says that this is his biggest Premier League derby since 2001, when Liverpool had to win to get into the Champions League.

GOAL! Manchester United 1 Cardiff 0: Maybe Manchester United didn't need Juan Mata at all, they just required the return of Robin van Persie! The Dutchman has given the hosts the lead within six minutes of his return to David Moyes' side. It came at the third time of asking after the striker's initial effort was blocked by David Marshall and then Antonio Valencia's follow up came back off the crossbar, but you can't keep a good man down, and Van Persie was on hand to nod home the rebound.

1/28/2014 7:51:19 PM

Southampton 0 Arsenal 0: The Saints haven't had much luck of late what with their double injury disaster at Sunderland followed by their record signing headbutting a teammate in training, but they've shown no signs of feeling sorry for themselves this evening. The home side have flown out of the traps, forcing the league leaders on to the backfoot, forcing a number of early corners and testing Wojciech Szczesny into parrying away debutant Sam Gallagher's effort. However, it remains goalless.

1/28/2014 7:57:45 PM

GOAL! Southampton 1 Arsenal 0:

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Reliant Robin heads Manchester United into an early lead.

1/28/2014 8:03:29 PM

GOAL! Southampton 1 Arsenal 0: Jose Fonte's head has made headlines recently, and it may do again tonight because it's given Southampton a deserved lead against Arsenal. Luke Shaw swung over an inviting cross, and the Saints central defender got up above Nacho Monreal at the far post to plant his header past Szczesny.

1/28/2014 8:10:38 PM

Liverpool 0 Everton 0: Lively is the way the world is describing the early exchanges of the Merseyside derby and who are we to disagree? Everton's Ross Barkley let fly from distance in the opening minute but was too high, and then Jordan Henderson had sight of goal at the other end, but Tim Howard was equal to the midfielder's effort.

1/28/2014 8:12:47 PM

GOAL! Crystal Palace 1 Hull 0: The Tigers have had a couple of recent penalty appeals turned down, and if that wasn't bad enough, they've now fallen behind. Once again it's Jason Puncheon who has forced the Eagles into the lead, but there was a slice of good fortune about it. The winger's initial header was blocked by his teammate Marouane Chamakh, but the ball fell perfectly for Puncheon to lash in the rebound beyond Allan McGregor.

1/28/2014 8:16:38 PM

GOAL! Liverpool 1 Everton 0: Liverpool had started to dominate at Anfield, and now they have their reward. Luis Suarez was pelted by missiles and Scouse wit from the away end as he prepared to take a corner on the left, but the Uruguayan was composed enough to swing over an inviting cross for Steven Gerrard to attack at the near post. The Liverpool captain met the delivery with a thumping header that flew past Howard and Barkley on the line, and the red half of Merseyside lead the derby.

GOAL! Liverpool 2 Everton 0: Everton had regrouped since that goal/injury double blow, and had forced a couple of chances of their own, but now they've been hit on the break. Philippe Coutinho escaped from his marker in midfield and threaded a through ball for Daniel Sturridge to run on to, and the Liverpool forward made no mistake, placing his shot past Howard. 2-0!

1/28/2014 8:32:47 PM

Half-time - Norwich 0 Newcastle 0:

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Half-time - Southampton 1 Arsenal 0:

1/28/2014 8:35:39 PM

GOAL! Liverpool 3 Everton 0: 3-0! And it's more of the same! Daniel Sturridge yet again found himself bearing down on Tim Howard following Kolo Toure's ball forward, and although there was much more for the striker to do this time, he nonchalantly lifted the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper and it bounced slowly into the empty net.

1/28/2014 8:35:48 PM

Steven Gerrard is quick to distance himself from Martin Skrtel's headwear as he celebrates his opening goal.

1/28/2014 8:43:02 PM

Mocking Manchester United while humbling Everton in the process. It's like a Liverpool fan's wet dream.

GOAL! Southampton 1 Arsenal 1: Southampton absolutely dominated the first half at St Mary's but their lead has lasted for just two minutes after the break. The home defence failed to clear a cross from the left and when the ball fell for Bacary Sagna on the right, the full back drilled it back into the middle where Olivier Giroud beautifully flicked in the equaliser with his heel.

1/28/2014 8:50:57 PM

GOAL! Southampton 1 Arsenal 2: Is this the resolve Arsenal have been missing for some time? The league leaders have turned this game on its head within minutes of the second half beginning. Again it came down the right where Mesut Ozil tricked his way inside, and when the ball was laid back to Santi Cazorla, the midfielder's shot with the outside of his foot swerved despairingly away from Artur Boruc's outstretched arm.

1/28/2014 8:55:37 PM

GOAL! Southampton 2 Arsenal 2: Forget what I was saying about Arsenal's resolve because they've let their lead slip immediately. Jay Rodriguez escaped from Sagna down the left flank, and his pull back was perfect for the arriving Adam Lallana to sweep the ball past Szczesny to draw Southampton level. It's been a breathless start to the second half.

1/28/2014 8:57:54 PM

GOAL! Manchester United 2 Cardiff 0: Ashley Young comes in for a lot of criticism, but he deserves the plaudits for the goal that he's just scored. The Manchester United man received the ball from Juan Mata and struck a right-footed effort low past Marshall from 25 yards. That should be enough for ensure a welcome three points for David Moyes and his side.

1/28/2014 9:00:53 PM

GOAL! Swansea 1 Fulham 0: A big goal at the Liberty Stadium and it's gone to Swansea. The home side had been pressing, and their reward has come from Jonjo Shelvey via a number of deflections. The midfielder took aim from 25 yards and, after his effort had played pinball with the Fulham defence, it snuck past Maarten Stekelenburg.

1/28/2014 9:02:59 PM

GOAL! Liverpool 4 Everton 0: The second half has begun in the same manner in which it ended, and Everton are in danger of being humiliated. Luis Suarez has his goal for the evening, escaping the attentions of Phil Jagielka and slaloming his way towards goal before finishing neatly with his left foot past Howard.

1/28/2014 9:09:03 PM

PENALTY! Liverpool 4 Everton 0: Liverpool are running riot and it could soon be five. This time it was Raheem Sterling who burst through on goal, and he was too quick for the arriving Howard, who brought the winger down in his tracks as he knocked the ball past him.

And it's Daniel Sturridge for his hat-trick...

1/28/2014 9:13:46 PM

MISSED PENALTY! Liverpool 4 Everton 0: An absolutely awful spot-kick from Daniel Sturridge as he blasts the ball high into the Kop. Well, at least I presume it stayed in the Kop and it's not bobbling around on the streets outside of Anfield. Jason Puncheon, you have a friend.

1/28/2014 9:14:42 PM

GOAL! Swansea 2 Fulham 0: Chico Flores sealed the points in Tottenham's favour in his last home game, but his goal at the right end should have done enough to see his Swansea side towards a welcome win tonight. The defender's header from Jonathan de Guzman's free-kick flicked in off Dimitar Berbatov, and into the net.

1/28/2014 9:17:52 PM

Norwich 0 Newcastle 0: Just under quarter of an hour to go at Carrow Road, and although Newcastle have been on top for the majority of the game, Gary Hooper was inches away from giving Norwich the lead. The striker was played in by Nathan Redmond, and his effort on the turn was deflected on to the crossbar and away for a corner.

1/28/2014 9:23:44 PM

RED CARD! Southampton 2 Arsenal 2: Arsenal will have to play out the final ten minutes at St Mary's with ten men because Mathieu Flamini has been sent off for an awful two-footed lunge on Morgan Schneiderlin. Lee Mason had no choice and no hesitation.

1/28/2014 9:24:18 PM

RED CARDS! Norwich 0 Newcastle 0: It's raining reds in the Premier League. There may be no goals at Carrow Road, but there's a double sending off. Loic Remy clashed with loveable scamp Bradley Johnson and after some belly rubbing and nose tickling, Chris Foy told them to get a dressing room and sent them on their way.

1/28/2014 9:24:51 PM

Juan Mata's Manchester United debut is over, having been replaced by Adnan Januzaj after 85 minutes. Here's how he fared...

Southampton 2 Arsenal 2: We're into six minutes of injury time and both sides are still chasing a winner...

1/28/2014 9:36:44 PM

FULL TIME - Manchester United 2 Cardiff 0:

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FULL TIME - Swansea 2 Fulham 0:

1/28/2014 9:37:27 PM

FULL TIME - Norwich 0 Newcastle 0:

1/28/2014 9:40:07 PM

FULL TIME - Southampton 2 Arsenal 2:

1/28/2014 9:40:18 PM

Liverpool 4 Everton 0: The Kop are in full voice as the Merseyside derby approaches stoppage time. The Liverpool goal threat has diminished ever since Daniel Sturridge was substituted, but the game was up for Everton long before that point.

1/28/2014 9:49:37 PM

RED CARD! Crystal Palace 1 Hull 0: The game was petering out into a forgetful spectacle at Selhurst Park, and Allan McGregor couldn't have that. The Hull custodian didn't take kindly to Stuart O'Keefe's challenge and kicked out at the Palace man to earn himself a straight red card.

And here comes the fun part! Steve Bruce had made all three substitutions, so it means Tom Huddlestone will spend stoppage time in goal. WAHEY!

There's despair for Daniel Sturridge as his penalty miss foreshadows events in Rio this summer.

1/28/2014 10:08:05 PM

Artur Boruc's eccentric goalkeeping has hit new heights since he returned from injury.

1/28/2014 10:10:56 PM

The night that promised much started with a bang before descending into a red mist.

The pre-match talk was of Juan Mata but it was Robin van Persie who announced his return to Premier League action with a goal within six minutes of Manchester United's 2-0 win against Cardiff. However, after that, the evening belonged to Liverpool. The red half of Merseyside racked up the biggest victory in a Merseyside derby for 32 years with a 4-0 hammering of Everton while the evening finished with four sending offs around the country; Matheiu Flamini, Loic Remy, Bradley Johnson and Allan McGregor the men seeing red.

Meanwhile, Arsenal missed the opportunity to move four points clear at the top after drawing at Southampton, but perhaps they should be thankful for for the single point, having been thoroughly outplayed in the first half before finishing the second with ten men. Elsewhere, there were important wins for Swansea and Crystal Palace at the expense of Fulham and Hull, while Norwich and Newcastle clattered the woodwork multiple times between them, but couldn't find the target.

We'll be back tomorrow evening to talk you through the night's four fixtures that include a London derby between Chelsea and West Ham, a West Midlands derby between Aston Villa and West Brom and a Tottenham side gunning for revenge against Manchester City. For the masochists, there's also Sunderland against Stoke. Until then, thanks for reading and goodnight.